davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02
BATTLE OF RICHMOND.

Cen NJ ID. Manson was near Richmond
KY, with a small force, which had been con
siderably increased through the patriotic ex.
ertions OF Gen. Lew Wallace, of Indiana.
The appearance of Kirby Smith before
Richmond carried CONSERVATION into tao
heart of Kentucky. Frankfort, the capital
was only fifty miles distant. With the legis-
lature in session, that body hastily adjourned
to Louisville. The state records were also ru-
moved thither, with a million dollars OF
money from the banks In this region
Gen. Mansons troops had been attacked by
Kirby Smiths advance at Big Hill Aug.
%, and retreated to Richmond. Here
Manson was REINFORCED by a number OF
newly organized regiments from Ohio, Ken.
lucky and Indiana. This was just after
President Lincoln's call for 10000 more,
and the north was filed with the camps
OF the fresh volunteers. The new regiments
under Manson hardly new how to form a
line of battle, and were ignorant of the first
principles Of field evolutions. The officers
were, for the main part, as green os the men.
These raw, Impractical troops were to meet
on the field at Richmond the Confederate
veterans of Shiloh, and other fields under
such leaders as Kirby Smith aud Gen. Pat
Cleburne. gtfs5f
Aug. 90, Kirby Smith camc on and offered
battle. Manson advanced to meet him and
drove him back to Rogersvillc, two miles
from Richmond. Here Manson encamped for
tho night. What is called the battle Of Rich
mond took place ncxt day, Aug. 80.
Tho fighting began anew on the morning
of this day. Manson and Brig Gen. Cruft,
who had distinguished himself at Donelson,
advanced to meet the Confederate attack.
After heavy fighting one mile south OF
Rogersvillc, the Union troops wero routed
with heavy loss In tho action the lieuten.
ant colonel and major Of the Seventy-first
Indiana were killed, leaving that regiment
without field officer.
Lieut.. Col. Melville d. Topping, of the Seventy.
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02
BRAGG AND BUELL..
The Invasion Of Kentucky
Twenty-Five Years Ago.
RACING FOR LOUISVILLE.
The Battles at Richmond and
Perryville, Ky.

A Race for Chattanooga-Isaids az the
Confederate Cons Morgan and Kirby
Smith In Observation-Disclosures nj
Cincinnati-Its Defense by Gen. Lew.
Wailace-Dcath or Gen. william Nell
son-Bravo Defense OF Col. Wilder nj
Observation-Disclosures add Chase.
"The attempt to destroy the Union of these
states we believe to bc n crime, not only
against Kentucky but against all MANKIND
So declared the loyal legislature OF Ken
lucky Ia the autumn Of 1861. At the same
time bill was passed calling ont 10000
Union volunteers
In the southern part Of the state, however,
there was strong secession sentiment. and
early in September. 1861, Bishop Ieonidas
Polk had occupied Columbus. KY. with o
considerable Confederate force.
Finally it was resolved by the Confedorates
to make a bold dash for tho fertile and
famous Blue Grass region OF Kentucky. Its
beeves and fast horses, its wheat, corn and
sugar cured hams were suggestion OF land
flowing with milk and honey to the appetite
of the southern army boys. Confederate
soldiers were never over fed. Perhaps that
was one reason why they were such good
flo lters
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

hal taken possession of Murfreesboro with
valuable stores, July IL, after a sharp fight.
On the approach OF Nelson Forrest left the
town. Nelson pursued but could not over
take him, not having cavalry. Forrest SWEEP.
around Nashville liko tornado and then
went 10 McMinnyille, Tenn, whence he made
raids
Buell. had been busy putting railroads in
order, tho Nashville and Chattanooga ard
the Memphis and Charleston, whereby to
transport his troops The latter part of July
the last OF his army crossed the Tennessee
river and moved eastward. This was Gen.
Thomas division Ii was ON this march
that the lamented Col. Robt. l.. McCook was
killed in northern Alabama He was i'll
and unarmed, travelling in an ambulance,
when he was shot dead by guerrillas. He Is
buried at the beautiful Spring Grove GENE
terry, Cincinnati.
Nelson was ordered to McMinnville, still
after that industrious raider, Forrest. Early
ia August, 1862, this was the disposition OF
the Federal army: Nelson was at McMinn-
Vile, Tenn. Crittenden and McCook were at
Battle Creek; Rousseau was on the Decatur
and Columbia railroad. and Thomas was on
tho Nashville and Chattanooga railroad
They were thus scattered over "a wide dis
trict.
Aud at this time Bragg began
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

Probably as singular an incident AZ ever
took place In the annals of war happened
here On Sept IA, Bragg assaulted, and
was repulsed. Sept 10. Bragg again de-
manded surrender, and was a second time
refused. The Confederates withdrew them
but reappeared a third time in force. Bragg
sent a flag OF truce to the garrison, however,
calling for its surrender in the name of hu-
manity. He had his whole army around
them, he declared, and IL he was forced to
attack again it would be n useless shedding
OF blood, for the garrison was doomed at all
hazard. The little Union garrison held a
council Of war; IL was determined not to
surrender unless the commanding officer Of
the garrison was permitted to make per-
sonal inspection of Bragg's camp, to prove
the truth of his statement This was the
answer sent back TO the Confederate COM
mander. Strangely enough the offer was ac-
cepted by Bragg. and Gel. Wilder went in
person and was escorted through the Confed-
crate quarters the evening of Sept. I6. He
found an army of 5000 men, with As pieces
of artillery, against his handful of less than
1000. He decided that further resistance was
useless, and surrendered Munfordsville, with
the honors of war, to Bragg, Sept. IL. There
had been bloody fighting during tho four
days The flag of the Fifty-seventh Indiana
was cut down after having 146 bullet holes
shot through it. Wilders resistance had been
gallant and stubborn Que. A raw recruit
of the Seventeenth Indiana. "a printer, sat at
an embrasure and with his own hands fred
over 500 shots. His comrades loaded for
him.
Newspaper letters of the time say that
Bragg remarked to Wilder after the sur
render: ..You have ruined the hest brigade
of my army"
After Munfordsville, Bragg marched to
Prewitt's Knob, Buell. following him with oil
his army. Buell. had sent for Thomas from
Nashville, leaving Negley in command there.
Thomas joined Buell. with the First division
Sept 20. Buell. prepared to give battle at
once, but while he did SO Bragg's army sud-
denly gave him the slip and marched toward
Louisville. They did not 90 there, however,
but again suddenly changed their course and
marched to Bardstown.
Maj. Gen. Lowell II. Rousseau was one OF the
most accomplished officers of the army OF the
Cumberland. He was n Kentuckian. born in 1918,
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02


'sThen," said the gallant soldier II die content.
Tell my wife and children that my last thoughts
were OF them"
Near the old camps OF the Union troops,
two miles north from the scene OF the first en-
gagement, Manson made another stand. Hero
was Some hard lighting, but again the Con-
federntes were victorious. At this timo Gen.
Nelson arrived, took command and arranged
for final stand on slight elevation near the
cemetery in front OF Richmond Here the
Federal raw recruits, decimated to about 9, 500
men. made their third and last rally against
ON enemy vastly superior in numbers and dis
cipline. Tue Confederate line was twice re-
pulsed Immediately to the right of the Gene
terry, but the Union line was finally broken
and fanked and the day was hopclessly lost.
Gen. Nelson was twice wounded In this action.
Gen. Manson was captured.
In the bnttle Of Richmond there were ~, 600
Confederate troops and thirty-six pieces OF
artillery. The Union forces consisted Of
about 1000 mon. The Coufe<lerntcs lost over
200 In killed and wounded. The Union TROOPS
lost so5. Besides that. 1000 OF them were
made pr,soueS
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02
After the fight at Richmond Kirby Smith

After the fight at Richmond Kirby Smith
marched his men to Lexington, the chief town
Ia the Blue Grass region. Thence he sent out
Gen. Heth with 5000 men to camp within a
few miles of Covington, opposite Cincinnati.
Another detachment was ordered in the di-
rection OF Louisville. Smith himself re-
manned Mt Lexington, waiting the word to
Join Bragg, and recruiting his army among
the Blue Grass sympathizers with the Con-
tederate cause.
Meantime CONSERVATION reigned at Cincin-
natl, and in the populous and we'll to do
smaller towns along tho Ohio below. At
Cincinnati martial law was proclaimed, and
the indefatigable Gen. Lew Wallace began
fortifying with all speed in the region about
Covington, KY. The remains of these de-
lenses are still seen. Wallace ordered all
business houses closed, and the ferry boats
that piled between Cincinnati on the Ohio side,
and Covington and Newport on the Kentucky
side, were stopped. All this half an hour
after Wallace reached Cincinnati, Sept ].
Tho scene that followed is beyond descrip-
ton. Mothers of young infants had left
them ON one side of the river and visited the
other for business or for pleasure. This iron
military order cut them of from return, and
for one night at least both mothers and
babies were alike frantic. Mechanics and
other workingnien, by the thousand, had left
their families that morning, expecting to re-
turn as usual, only to find themselves stopped
as by an adamantine wall at o'clock As
all sorts OF runlors OF capture and impressing
men into the soldiers ranks were prevalent,
none knew for tho time what had become Of
those nearest them Imagination supplied
tho lack of knowledge and drew pictures Of
the fate of loved ones that did not err on the
side Of the commonplace and the safe Gin
cinnatians talk to this day Of Lew Walacc's
military rule in Cincinnati.
lie saved it from invasion. In few hours
time he had an army Of 10000 men ready.
BY his proclamation Inc sent prominent
wealthy citizens to the other side of the river
to work on the Notifications 1t was curl
Gus spectacle, white handed men with rings
and gold watches digging in the dirt like rail
road laborers, and throwing up earthworks.
Citizens for labor, soldiers for BATTLE"
were Lew Wallace's words.
Recruits besides poured in from Ohio, In
diana and elsewhere, till there were defend
ers enough there to make the invasion of
Cincinnati serious business for anybody
who should attempt'it.
A pontoon bridge was laid across the river,
and over It thousands OF new soldiers marched
day and night TO man the new Notifications
at Covington. After some days Heth dropped
back and rejoined Kirby Smith.
1t is time now TO see what Gen. Buell. was
about.
Don Carlos Buell. was an Ohio man, born mt
Marietta in 1918. Went through West Point and
served in the Mexican war. Was made major
general OF volunteers in 1862. Took effective
part In the battle OF Shiloh, aud after that was
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

pare to attack the Federal army I'm flank and
rear, while Kirby Smith should attack IN
front.
Polk decided not to obey tho order, but to
follow his original instructions to slowly
retire to Bryantvile. Bragg then counter
mnndcd the order To attack that he had given
To Smith.
During the last of September and first days
Of October, Bragg's army had been success
fully and rapidly accommodating the spoils of
war. Cattle, horses. swine and mules were
seized without stint by Confederate detach-
ments i'm various parts of tho interior. At
Frankfort n cloth factory was looted, and
100000 yards of tho famous Kentucky
butternut jeans were taken. In some i'm
stances Confederate scrip was offered in pay
nent for property seized
Bragg had issued q proclamation to the
Kentuckians OH entering the interior OF tho
state, in which he had said he must have the
supplies of war wherewith to liberate them
from the northern invader. To the ladies he
said with poetic cnthusiasm:
"Buckle on the armor of your kindred, your
husbands, sons and brothers, and scott with
shame him who would prove recreant to you,
his country and his God"
The supplies of war" had been accumu-
lating Mt Lexington. Bragg ordered suffi-
cient quantity sent to Polk at Bryantsvillc,
and Oct. ordered Polk himself to march TO
Pcrryvillc, KY, with Cheatham's division.
lie was further 10 attack the Union army,
rout it. and then JOIN Kirby Smith ut Frank
ford.
Bishop Leonidas Polk, of Louisiana, on the
outbreak of the civil war, threw away his
priestly cassoclx and donned the Confederate
fighting gray. He had, however, been n
soldier before becoming a bishop. having
been graduated at West Point In 1897 lie
was born at Raleigh, N. c., in 1906. He was
one OF the most able and jealous of the minor
Confederate generals. Wherever fighting
was, there Bishop Polk was He always do.
clared, however, that when the war was over
he would 60 back and be bishop again. A
British officer who knew him in the army
wrote OF the Confederate soldier bishop: "lIe
Is very rich, and, am told, owns zoo ne
groes."
Cen Polk commanded division Mt Shiloh.
and a corps ut Chickamauga His sense OF
his own dignity aud importance sometimes
led him to disobey his superior officers, as he
did Bragg in Kentucky. For such disobc
diencc at Chickamauga hc was put under ar.
rest, but was afterwards restored to COM
mnnd. Hc was with Johnston's army before
Atlanta, in June, 1864, where cannon shot
from the Federal lines endel his career both
military and theological Bishop Polk was a
man OF imposing presence.
Oct 8, 1862, Bragg's and Buells armies
Knocked heads together at last and fought the
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

Shortly after he retreated from Corinth tx
May, Gen. Beauregard, who was in poor
health, gave up the command of the Confed.
crate department of the Mississippi His All.
thority was turned over to Maj. Gen. Brax.
ton Bragg, who took command OF the army
June 16, 1862 1t was then at 1upelo, Miss.
town OH the Mobile and Ohio railroad, fifty
miles southwest Of Corinth,
On taking command of tie Confederate
force, Bragg at once started it towards Chat
tanooga, Tenn Once there, he had an nlte-
rior dream, which he thought might be real
lied. Hewould strike thence into Kentucky,
Strike boldly and quickly. His southern
army, powerful aud enthusiastic, could
drive out all tho Union troops that were then
in the state. After that, whats What but
the establishing of n seccssionst government,
and the gaining of Kentucky for the Confed,
eracy.
! Such was the dream of Maj. Gen Braxton
Bragg, G. s. A., in June, 1862
Before the grand expedition started there
had been various Confederate incursions and
raids. Knoxville and East Tennessee were in
possession Of tho Confederates.
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

made commander of the army of the Ohio lie
was mustered out of the volunteer service in
1864, and resigned from the regular army in 1865.
lie Is now resident in Louisville.
In August Gen. Buell. had been under the
impression that Bragg meant to move against
Nashville. The Federal commander had &C
cordingly concentrated his main army at
Murfreesboro. Early in September he be-
came aware that Braggs movements meant
Thereupon, Sept z, he set his army in mo-
ton for Louisville It has been already
mentioned that this city was Brogg's object
i've point also. The second race between
Bragg and Buell. began therefore.
Mai. Gen. Bragg, Buell's opponent, was q West
Point graduate Of the class of 1887 He was q
North Carolinian, and was three years older than
Buell.. Like most prominent officers on both the
Union and Confederate sides. Bragg had served
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02


served in the United States navy. That year he
was appointed n brigadier general OF the army
and sent on duty to his own state. He recruited
thousands of Union volunteers. At Shiloh
he commanded division, remaining with
Buells army up to Bragg's invasion of Ken.
lucky After tho battle of Richmond he was
sent to look after the defenses OF Louisville,
for that city expected visit from Bragg
when Kirby Smith was advancing on Louis.
Vile.
With great vigor Nelson set about fortify-
ing the Kentucky metropolis, but his way was
different from that resorted to by Lew Wal
lace. Wallace issued proclamation calling
on the citizens of Cincinnati to aid In throw
ing up the earthworks and wealthy and prom
inent citizens responded to the call and dug
with their own hands Nelson, on the other
hand, gave out the following order:
"Hnving been called on for 900 laborers, 1t
Is ordered that tho citizens OF Louisville anil
Jefferson county report to Col Henry Dent
the number of slaves each will furnish, and
they will deliver them into the custody of Col
Dent, to lie used in the erection OF fottiiica-
tions. Col Dent IL ordered to impress q sufll-
cient number Of laborers to erect the works Of
Defense
Wherever negroes were found at large in
the streets they were seized and set To work,
aud there was wild scurrying TO and fro of
dusky forms, and hiding away as soon as the
order became known. Thus the Notifications
at Covington were built voluntarily by citi-
zens of Cincinnati and vicinity. Those Of
Louisville were made by the forced labor Of
negro slaves.
Gen. Nelson was brave and able soldier
But he had N temper which was n terror to
those who were forced to DO about him. His
soldiers knew this well, and sometimes made
IL serve their amusement One evening an
innocent looking civilian came into his camp
inquiring for the quartermaster. The "boys,"
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

$500 " Lieut.. COl. WIN.
CORTLAND Prentice, one of Basil Dukes off,
GERS and son of George ID. Prentice, OF The
Louisville Journal. The Union editors obit-
uary notice in Tho Journal of his secessionist
son was a pathetic illustration OF tho state OF
public sentiment in Kentucky at this tir1e.
At Cynthiana the Federal troops were in
hot pursuit of Morgan He therefore wheeled
and Nrned southwark, marching through
Richmond, Ky, to GAINESVILLE, Tenn. Here
for the time lie rested on his well won laurels.
Morgan was q well to do citizen of Ken
lucky when the war began. He was born
in Huntsville, Ala, in 1873 His picturesque
career ended in 1854 lie was shot dead
while trying to escape capture in East Ten-
nessec. He died with his boots on.
During his various raids he destroyed mil
lions of dollars worth Of property.
Mai Gen. Don Carlos Buell. at this time COM
manded tho United States armies OF The depart
ment of the Ohio After the evacuation OF
Corinth by the Confederates IN May, 1862,
he establishetfhs headquarters at huntsville,
Ala. Halleck ut st Louis was his superior
officer.
Both the Union and Confederate generals
decided i'm June that Chattanooga would be a
good point to occupy with their respective
armies. 1t would give command of East
Tennessee But while Haleck and Buell.
were debating about the best route to Chat
tanooga, Bragg was already on the way there.
The race for the town between North and
South was won by tho South. This was
only tho first Of the great racing matches
between Bragg and Buell..
At Chattanooga Bragg prepared his army
TO invade Kentucky. lilo parted it into three
divisions under liardee, leonidns Polk and
L. Kirby smith, respectively Kirby Smith
WINS i'm comnfandin East Tennessee.
portion OF the Union forces under Gen.
Nelson WINS sent to Murfreesboro to oppose
ibo Confederate raider, ~ Is. Forrest. who
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

''-''' - H' S''-S-' tenden, Buell'S corps
commander. was born in 1919. He was United
States consul 10 Liverpool In President Taylor's
time. lie entered the Union army in 1861. and in
the fall Of that year became brigadier general of
volunteers. lie served at many of the hardest
fought battles of the war, such as Shiloh, Stone
River and Chickamauga. In 1864 he was sent
east, and commanded corps there. He was q
major general Of volunteers. and, by brevet, OF
the regular army also. In the Buell. campaign
against Bragg he commanded the right wing of
the Army Of the Ohio.
During the night of Oct z. Buell. ordered
McCook and Crittenden ut once to advance
and form in line OF battle on the wings Gil
bert's corps was the center During the night
also Buell. had sharp little fight for creek
whence to get water for his army He OBJ
tanned possession Of the pools. This fighting
was done ON the Federal side by Col. Daniel
McCook
The battle Of Perryville was begun on the,
morning Of Oct by an attempt to drive
McCook away from the precious water pools.
1t was repulsed, and in this preliminary fight
young Union division com. handler named
Philip Sheridan distinguished himself hand
somely.
There was no more fighting till the arrival
of McCool between 10 and IL o'clock He
Immediately found his divisions, Jackson's
and Rousseaus, in line on Glberts left.
The battle of Perryville began in fight
for water McCook's position was near Doc
tors Fork of Chaplin creek. Rousseau's di-
vision advanced towards this creek to get
water, when they were fired on by the Con-
fsderate artillery. McCook's line formed on
Chnpln's Hills.
OF McCook's forces, Rousseau held the,
right, and Gen. Terrelps brigade of Jackson's
division the extreme left Starkweather's
brigade was behind Terrells as Il reserve.
About2 o'clock the Confederate Gen. Har-
dee came on TO the attacl, with 10000 men,
the divisions of Cheatham, Buckner and S. (
r. Anderson. The Maxyile road crossed
Doctors Fork Immediately in front of the
Federal line, and this was the poiut the Con-
federateS aimed at.
The Confederates attacked first the extreme
left under Terrell. There was strong fire
and TeITcll's raw recruits wavered. Their
division commander, Gen. James S. Jackson,
rode CALAMITY To the front to rally them In
n moment u fragment of she'll struck him in
the breast and he fell from his horse dead in
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

or poor parents. The
clopedias say
that in his early
youth he worked at
road making" which
statement is not "a
clear as one could
wish. At any rate,
he was self educated
and studied law, and
never went to West
Point. He won n high
place as a criminal
lawyer at Louisville.
He took the Union
side in 1861, and
raised two regiments
in Kentucky, but was
obtiua1 m nttorta,.
The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-09-02

them Mt Camp Joe Holt on the Ohio side OF the
river, on account OF Kentucly's neutrality
He was II brgadier general of volunteers
in 1861. He fought at Shiloh, and CALAMITY
against Bragg at Perryville. Ky, una there
upon was made major general of volun-
teers He was OF Chickamauga, and organized
famous raid into Alabama. The next step in his
varied career was an election to congress. i'm
medately on the close of tho war. Then once
more into the army in which he was appointed
regular brigadcr general and sent on duty To
Alaska IIe was recalled and sent to command
at New Orleans, where he died in 1862 Gen
Rousseau was man of magnificent physical ap.
pearance, the typical "big Kcutuclian."
Buell. fastened on to Louisville. He won
the race if Bragg had really meant TO go
there But Bragg himself says i'm his report
that ut this time he found himself in ''hostie
country" with only three days food for his
men. He therefore determined to defect his
course to the right instead of proceeding still
further into hostile country, to fix his head
quarters ut Bardstown aud draw supplies
from Lexington.
Buell. and Bragg each claimed to lie at
tempting to draw tho other into battle.
At all events, however, this purposelcss
tramping through Kentucky had done littlo
good for the army of Gen. Buell.. Reaching
Louisville, it encamped on the river shore, le'
low the city.
"And when we got there there were only
six boys of my regiment who stacked arms
on the sand," says private who tells the
story OF Buells chase through Kentucky.
The other men OF the regiment had drop
ped out by the way, either fallen through
fatigue or been lost by struggling. Tho other
regiments were in not much better condition
than the one mentioned when they encamped
on the sand below Louisville And after
this river was reached thousands more drop
ped out, deserted or "straggled."
Tho dny that the last OF Bnelrs army